Muffler and exhaust pipe assembly and clamp therefor



April 13, 1965 R. v. KOEHLER 3,178,208

MUFFLER AND EXHAUST PIPE ASSEMBLY AND CLAMP THEREFOR Filed May 28, 19623a .36 34 34- /3 /4 35 Z3 Z4 IN VEN TOR.

BY [LA/1 M rromvzy United States Patent 3,178,208 MUFELERAND EXHAUSTPIPE ASSEMBLY AND CLAMP THEREFOR Raymond V. Koehler, Kenosha, Wis;,assignor-to Amencan Motors Corporation, Kenosh'a, Wis.-, acorporatron ofMaryland I Fil'ed-May -28,-1962, Ser. N0.-198',250 6 Claims. (Cl.285-322) The inventionrelates-to amufiler and exhaust pipeassembly' withclam-ping means therefor.

The invention has-particular reference -to the coupling of one end of-anexhaust'pipe to the inlet or outlet stub of amufiler andproviding=means-for'reducing'the-tendency of such membersfrombecoming'uncoupled;

The principal object of the invention is to provide an assembly which isparticularly resistantto. becoming uncoupled.

A specific object is to provide a clamping device with means forresisting tendency of radial expansion of the tongue portion of themufiier stub.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from theensuing specification and appended drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of one end portion of a mufller and a portion ofan exhaust pipe with the clamping device shown fragmentarily.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 and thenrotated counter-clockwise 90 degrees.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary detail plan view of the upper half of theclamp.

FIGURE 4 is a detail view of the washer used with the clamping device.

In general, the muffler A has a cylindrical inlet or outlet stub Bextending therefrom and securely anchored thereto. The exhaust pipe Chas its end telescopically received within the mufiler stub and a clampassembly D serves to anchor the exhaust pipe with reference to themufller stub.

The end wall of the rnufiler has an annular flange 11 into which theinner end 12 of the mufiler stub is received and anchored.

The stub may be in the form of a short length of pipe and hascircumferentially spaced notches 13 and 14 formed therein. The axiallydirected notches terminate at 15 and are arranged in generally parallelrelationship to each other to receive the beads 16 and 17 which areintegrally formed in the external wall of the exhaust pipe. The exhaustpipe is inserted into the mufiler stub until the ends of the beadsengage the terminals 15 of the notches 13 and 14, as best shown inFIGURE 1. The clamp assembly includes a lower half in the form of aU-bolt 29 which partly encircles the muffier stub and terminates withthreaded extremities 21 and 22. The remaining half of the clamp assemblymay be in the form of a singular stamping having bight portions 23 and24 formed at either end thereof through which the U-bolt extremitiesproject.

The saddle portion of the stamping, identified generally by the numeral26, is of arcuate shape to generally follow the arc of the cylindricalmufller stub and is crimped at 27 throughout its length so as to bechannel shaped in cross section, thereby making possible the formationof the bights 23 and 24. As a result of the crimping, the central orbridge portion of the channel is radially spaced from the external wallsurface of the muflier stub, such spacing being indicated at 29 inFIGURE 2. Slots 30 and 31 are formed in the blank prior to the finalfabrication of the stamping and makes possible the formation of thebights at each end of the stamping. The washers 34 are formed in themanner best shown in FIGURE 4 with the tongue portions -35 of such awidth as -to permit -in-' sertion-between thetside walls of the slots.30-'.and 31so that the ends of the tongues-bear against the externalwall surface of the-mufiler-stub, as best shown in FIGURE 2. Suchbearing: pressure assists in resisting tendency; of radialexpansionof-the'muflier stubunder any rotative thrusts exerted betweenexhaustpipe and muiller stub. When such rotati-ve. thrustsareencountered the beads 16 and 17 exert.radialthrust-on theinternalwallofi the mufiler stub tendingito radially expand same so thatrotative shifting of the exhaust pipe relative to the stub occurs.

The siderunner portions-36 and 37-of the saddle bear againstthe'external wall surface-of the mufiler stub and in conjunction withthearcuateportionof the U-bolt serve to constrict the stub into.tight'contactwith the outer wall surface of the exhaust pipe when thenuts 38 are tightened.

Inthecentral area. of the-bridge portion of the stamping, appropriate:slitting is etfected'to permit-the ears 40 and41 to .be struckdownwardly so as to engage the mufiler stub tongue 42 as best shown inFIGURE 2. The cars 40 and 41 are appropriately spaced so that eachengages the stub tongue in the vicinity of the longitudinal side edges43 and 44 thereof. Thus when the nuts 38 are tightened, the constrictiveforces imposed on the upper and lower halves of the clamp assemblylikewise cause the ears 40 and 41 to apply similar inwardly directedradial forces against the tongue 42 thereby reducing the possibility ofsaid tongue from expanding radially sufficiently to ride over the beads16 and 17 under the influence of rotative forces imposed on the exhaustpipe relative to the mufiler stub.

I claim:

1. A mufiler and exhaust pipe and clamp assembly comprising: a mufilerpipe stub having generally axially directed slots opening through theend of the stub and circumferentially spaced from each other to form agenerally axially directed tongue between such slots; an exhaust pipetelescopically received within the pipe stub and having a radiallyoutwardly directed bead projecting into a slot on one side of thetongue; a clamp encircling the mufiier pipe stub and including a U-boltand a saddle in engagement with the U-bolt; said saddle overhanging thetongue and overlying the slots; means in engagement with the saddle andU-bolt for constricting the clamp to constrict the pipe stub intoclamping engagement with the exhaust pipe and means formed on the saddlefor engaging the tongue to resist tendency of radially outward movementof the tongue, said last means including a generally radially inwardlydirected ear rigid with the saddle portion of the clamp.

2. A mutiler and exhaust pipe and clamp assembly comprising: a muifierpipe stub having generally axially directed slots opening through theend of the stub and circumferentially spaced from each other to form agenerally axially directed tongue between such slots; an exhaust pipetelescopically received within the pipe stub and having a radiallyoutwardly directed bead projecting into a slot on one side of thetongue; a clamp assembly encircling the pipe stub and including a U-boltand a saddle in engagement with the U-bolt; said saddle having a channelshaped portion with spaced side runners and a bridge portioninterconnecting the side runners, the side runners engaging the mufflerpipe stub and the bridge portion being spaced from the mufller pipestub; a rigid ear formed on the bridge portion and projecting inwardlytherefrom into engagement with the tongue; said bridge portionoverhanging the tongue and overlying the slots; and means associatedwith the U-bolt and saddle for constricting the clamp assembly toconstrict the pipe stub into clamping engagement with the exhaust pipe.

3. A muffler and exhaust pipe and clamp assembly comprising: a mufilerpipe stub having generally axially directed slots opening through theend thereof and circumferentially spaced from each other to form agenerally axially directed tongue between such slots; an exhaust pipetelescopically received within the pipe stub and having radiallyoutwardly projecting beads circumferentially spaced from each other andprojecting into the slots on either side of the tongue; a clamp assemblyencircling the pipe stub and having a bridge portion overhanging thetongue and overlying the slots; said bridge portion having integralspaced ears projecting generally radially inwardly and engaged with thetongue between the beads for resisting tendency of radially outwardmovement of the tongue and means on the clamp assembly for constrictingsame to constrict the mufller pipe stub into clamping engagement withthe exhaust pipe.

4. A mufiler and exhaust pipe and clamp assembly as set forth in claim 3wherein the ears on the bridge portion engage the tongue adjacent to thelongitudinal side edges thereof and in the circumferential path definedby the beads.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein the clamp assembly hashollow bights formed at either end of the bridge portion and a U-bolthas its free ends projecting one through each bight, said free endsbeing threaded and a washer and nut being mounted on each free end, saidwashers each having an edge with a tongue formed therein, said washertongue projecting into the interior area of the bridge portion andengaging the exhaust pipe.

6. A mufiler and exhaust pipe and clamp assembly as set forth in claim 4wherein the bridge portion is channel shaped and has an openingtherethrough at each end of which one of the ears is formed.

, References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 23,551 8/94Park D8550 1,686,254 10/28 Rachlin 285-399 1,793,015 2/31 Roos 2853302,117,955 5/38 Haas 285177 2,959,834 11/60 Graham 24277 2,985,934 5/61Daubner 24277 FOREIGN PATENTS 202,214 5/ 55 Australia.

CARL W. TOMLIN, Primaly Examiner.

1. A MUFFLER AND EXHAUST PIPE AND CLAMP ASSEMBLY COMPRISING: A MUFFLERPIPE STUB HAVING GENERALLY AXIALLY DIRECTED SLOTS OPENING THROUGH THEEND OF THE STUB AND CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED FROM EACH OTHER TO FORM AGENERALLY AXIALLY DIRECTED TONGUE BETWEEN SUCH SLOTS; AN EXHAUST PIPETELESCOPICALLY RECEIVED WITHIN THE PIPE STUB AND HAVING A RADIALLYOUTWARDLY DIRECTED BEAD PROJECTING INTO A SLOT ON ONE SIDE OF THETONGUE; A CLAMP ENCIRCLING THE MUFFLER PIPE STUB AND INCLUDING A U-BOLTAND A SADDLE IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE U-BOLT; SAID SADDLE OVERHANGING THETONGUE AND OVERLYING THE SLOTS; MEANS IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SADDLE ANDU-BOLT FOR CONSTRUCTING THE CLAMP TO CONSTRICT THE PIPE STUB INTOCLAMPING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE EXHAUST PIPE AND MEANS FORMED ON THE SADDLEFOR ENGAGING THE TONGUE TO RESIST TENDENCY OF RADIALLY OUTWARD MOVEMENTOF THE TONGUE, SAID LAST MEANS INCLUDING A GENERALLY RADIALLY INWARDLYDIRECTED EAR RIGID WITH THE SADDLE PORTION OF THE CLAMP.